Syllabus
Master of Social Work
SSWO 553 – Advanced Social Work Practice II (Summer 2021)
Credits - 3
Description
This is the second of two Advanced Clinical Social Work Practice courses, both courses follow a similar format offering students an intense experiential learning experience in some of today’s most popular and effective clinical interventions with children, adults, and families. This course builds on the previous Advanced Clinical Social Work Practice course with a continued emphasis on the application of strengths-based and person-centered interventions with a focus on the specific skills and behaviors associated with relational clinical social work. The importance of the therapeutic alliance and the critical role of client feedback are emphasized and reinforced throughout the course.
Materials
Learning Objectives and Outcomes
School of Social Work Program Outcomes:
Graduates of the UNE SSWO will demonstrate knowledge, skills, and leadership in the following:
- Demonstrates ethical and professional behavior.
- Advance human rights and social, racial, economic, and environmental justice.
- Engage in anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion (ADEI) in practice.
- Engage in practice-informed research and research-informed practice.
- Engage in policy practice.
- Engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
- Assess individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
- Intervene with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
- Evaluate practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
Course Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Competency 6a: use empathy, reflection, and interpersonal skills to effectively engage diverse clients and constituencies
- Competency 7c: develop mutually agreed-on intervention goals and objectives based on the critical assessment of strengths, needs, and challenges within clients and constituencies
- Competency 8a: critically choose and implement interventions to achieve practice goals and enhance capacities of clients and constituencies
Assignments
Weekly Discussions
In most weeks, there are two discussion forums each week, one is a whole class forum and the other is a small group forum. Both discussion forums are fairly demanding each week but keep in mind that this is the focus of the work and the learning in this course.
Whole-Class Discussions
Description: An important learning method in this course is student participation and interaction in the discussion threads within each module. The discussion threads provide one method for students to integrate reading materials and multimedia into the course discussion and demonstrate their knowledge about the discussion prompt. Students are expected to participate actively and in a respectful manner. Students are expected to post an initial response to the weekly discussion questions by Saturday, adhering to the requirements outlined in the Discussion Rubric, and to respond to a minimum of 2 classmates in meaningful and substantive ways.
The whole class discussion board provides an opportunity to process and reflect on the activities and exercises you will be completing in the Tirch text, Experiencing ACT from the inside out.
Small-Group Practice Exercises (Discussions)
Description: You will have an opportunity to role-play and practice therapy sessions in this small group discussion space. Discussions will build on each other from week to week.
The small group forum is a skills practice lab – a safe place to practice the new ACT skills that are introduced each week with a small cohort of peers in order to bring ACT to life in students’ own clinical practice.
Week 7 ACT Reflective Essay
For this assignment, you will write a 4 to 5-page (not counting title and reference pages) APA-style reflective essay. You will express your reaction to each therapeutic approach and how you plan or don’t plan to use it in your future clinical practice as well as your evaluation of your current comfort and skill level in using each modality with future clients.
Week 8 Letter from the Heart
In the final week, you will summarize your growth in a form of a letter to yourself. This letter is an opportunity to provide yourself with guidance and suggestions on how to continue becoming a reflexive social work practitioner.
Grading Policy
The School of Social Work uses the following grading system for all courses with the exception of field education courses. Students are expected to maintain a “B” (3.0) average over the course of their study. Students with less than a GPA of 3.0 will be placed on academic probation. Students must have an overall GPA of 3.0 in order to receive their Master’s Degree.
Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:
Grade Breakdown
| Assignment | Point Value | Percentage of Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Whole Class Discussions (Concepts) | 350 pts (50 pts each) | 35% |
| Practice Discussions (Groups) | 300 pts (50 pts each) | 30% |
| Week 7 ACT Reflective Essay | 250 pts | 25% |
| Letters from the Heart | 100 pts | 10% |
| Total | 1,000 points | 100% |
Grade Scale
| Grade | Points Grade | Point Average (GPA) |
| A | 94 – 100% | 4.00 |
| A- | 90 – 93% | 3.75 |
| B+ | 87 – 89% | 3.50 |
| B | 84 – 86% | 3.00 |
| B- | 80 – 83% | 2.75 |
| C+ | 77 – 79% | 2.50 |
| C | 74 – 76% | 2.00 |
| C- | 70 – 73% | 1.75 |
| D | 64 – 69% | 1.00 |
| F | 00 – 63% | 0.00 |
Schedule
Course Dates: Wednesday, June 23 – Sunday, August 15, 2021
All assignments are to be submitted by 11:59 PM ET on the dates as assigned.
Unless otherwise specified below, all module discussions and assignments are due on the last day of the module or unit week. Initial discussion posts are due by 11:59 PM Saturday, and responses to classmates are due by the end of the course week; except for the early discussion due dates noted in Week 8.
Course Weeks
Week 1: Jun 23 – Jun 29
Week 2: Jun 30 – Jul 6
Week 3: Jul 7 – Jul 13
Week 4: Jul 14 – Jul 20
Week 5: Jul 21 – Jul 27
Week 6: Jul 28 – Aug 3
Week 7: Aug 4 – Aug 10
Week 8: Aug 11 – Aug 15
Week 1 | ACT’s Six Core Processes and Informed Consent
Required
- Week 1 Lecture
- Gordon, T., Borushok, J., & Polk, K. (2017). The ACT approach: A comprehensive guide for acceptance and commitment therapy.
- Chapter 1, Science and Theory
- Chapter 2, ACT’s Core Processes
- Tirch et al. (2019). Experiencing ACT from the inside out: A self-practice/self-reflection workbook for therapists.
- Module 1, Identifying and Formulating a Challenging Problem
- Module 2, ACT SP/SR Challenge Formulation
- Watch: (2016). The 3 Happiness Myths, Dr. Russ Harris. [Video] (4:02 minutes, transcript)
- Watch: (2016). Psychological flexibility: How love turns pain into purpose | Steven Hayes | TEDxUniversityofNevada. [Video] (19:39 minutes, includes CC and interactive transcript)
Recommended, not Required
- Tirch et al. (2019). Experiencing ACT from the inside out: A self-practice/self-reflection workbook for therapists. Part I, Chapters 1-4
- ACT in Action Video 1 – Facing the Struggle
Discussions
- Week 1 Discussion: ACT from the Inside Out – Establishing a baseline and defining a challenge
- Week 1 ACT Practice: Informed Consent and ACT’s Six Core Processes (Group)
Week 2: Use of Life Maps, aka The Matrix in ACT
Required Reading and Media
- Week 2 Lecture
- Gordon, T., Borushok, J., & Polk, K. (2017). The ACT approach: A comprehensive guide for acceptance and commitment therapy.
- Chapter 3, Life Map: ACT Made Easy for Individual and Group Therapy (pp. 23-34)
- Tirch et al. (2019). Experiencing ACT from the inside out: A self-practice/self-reflection workbook for therapists.
- Module 4, The ACT Matrix
- Watch: (2019). Relational Frame Theory (RFT) from your ACT Auntie. [Video] (6:58 minutes, transcript)
- Watch: (2017). The choice point: A map for a meaningful life, Dr. Russ Harris. [Video] (3:05 minutes, transcript)
Recommended, not Required
- Tirch et al. (2019). Experiencing ACT from the inside out: A self-practice/self-reflection workbook for therapists. Module 3, The Psychological Flexibility Model
Discussions
- Week 2 Discussion – ACT from the Inside Out – The ACT Matrix
- Week 2 ACT Practice: Mapping your Life (Group)
Week 3 | Case Conceptualization in ACT, Present Moment, and Self-as-Context
Required Reading and Multimedia
- Week 3 Lecture
- Gordon, T., Borushok, J., & Polk, K. (2017). The ACT Approach: A comprehensive guide to acceptance and commitment therapy.
- Chapter 4, Case Conceptualization with ACT (pp. 35-54)
- Tirch et al. (2019). Experiencing ACT from the inside out: A self-practice/self-reflection workbook for therapists.
- Module 5, Contacting the Present Moment
- Module 6, Self-as-Context
- Watch: (2015). Values vs Goals, Dr. Russ Harris. [Video] (3:41 minutes, transcript)
Recommended, not Required
- Watch: ACT in Action Video 2 – Control and Acceptance.
Discussions:
- Week 3: ACT from the Inside Out – Present Moment and Self-as-Context
- Week 3 ACT Practice: Case Conceptualization with ACT (Group)
Week 4 | Practicing Openness: Acceptance and Defusion in ACT
Required Reading and Multimedia
- Week 4 Lecture
- Gordon, T., Borushok, J., & Polk, K. (2017). The ACT approach: A comprehensive guide for acceptance and commitment therapy.
- Chapter 5, Practicing Openness (pp. 55-68)
- Tirch et al. (2019). Experiencing ACT from the inside out: A self-practice/self-reflection workbook for therapists.
- Module 7, Flexible Perspective Taking
- Module 8. Defusion
- Watch: Harris, R. (2015). The Struggle Switch. (3:02 minutes, transcript)
Recommended, Not Required
- Watch ACT in Action Video 3 – Cognitive Defusion
Discussions:
- Week 4 Discussion: ACT from the Inside Out – Perspective Taking and Defusion
- Week 4 ACT Practice: Avoidance and Control (Group)
Week 5 | Awareness of Experience: Acceptance and The Present Moment in ACT
Required Reading and Multimedia
- Week 5 Lecture
- Gordon, T., Borushok, J., & Polk, K. (2017). The ACT approach: A comprehensive guide for acceptance and commitment therapy.
- Chapter 6, Awareness of Experience (pp. 69-86)
- Tirch et al. (2019). Experiencing ACT from the inside out: A self-practice/self-reflection workbook for therapists.
- Module 9, Acceptance
- Module 10. Values Authorship
- Watch: Harris, R. (2017). The happiness trap: Evolution of the human mind. [Video] (3:37 minutes, CC and interactive transcript included)
Recommended, Not Required
- Watch ACT in Action Video 4- Mindfulness, Self, and Contact with the Present Moment
Discussions:
- Week 5: ACT from the Inside Out – Experiential Acceptance and Values Authorship
- Week 5 ACT Practice: Connecting To Your Future Self (Group)
Week 6 | Engaging with Life
Required Reading and Multimedia
- Week 6 Lecture
- Gordon, T., Borushok, J., & Polk, K. (2017). The ACT approach: A comprehensive guide for acceptance and commitment therapy.
- Chapter 7, Engaging with Life (pp. 87-116)
- Tirch et al. (2019). Experiencing ACT from the inside out: A self-practice/self-reflection workbook for therapists.
- Module 11, Commitment, Part I
- Module 12, Commitment, Part II
- Watch: Harris, R. (2015). Internal Struggles. [Video] (2:28 minutes, transcript)
Recommended, Not Required
- Watch ACT in Action Video 5 – Values and Actions
Discussions:
- Week 6 Discussion: ACT from the Inside Out – Accepting, Choosing, and Taking Action
- Week 6 ACT Practice: Commitment and Purposeful Steps (Group)
Week 7 | Psychological Flexibility and Becoming an ACT Therapist
Required Reading and Multimedia
- Module 15, Maintaining and Enhancing the Cultivation of Psychological Flexibility in Tirch et al. (2019). Experiencing ACT from the inside out: A self-practice/self-reflection workbook for therapists.
Recommended, Not Required
- Chapter 8, ACT with Children and Adolescents in Gordon, T., Borushok, J., & Polk, K. (2017). The ACT approach: A comprehensive guide for acceptance and commitment therapy, (pp. 117-141)
- Module 13, ACT and Compassion and Module 14, Compassion and Empathic Distress Fatigue in Tirch et al. (2019). Experiencing ACT from the inside out: A self-practice/self-reflection workbook for therapists, (pp. 219-233)
- Watch ACT in Action Video 6 – Psychological Flexibility
Discussion:
-
Week 7: ACT from the Inside Out – Enhancing the Cultivation of Psychological Flexibility
Assignment Submission:
- Week 7 Reflective Essay on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Week 8 | Becoming a Reflexive Social Work Practitioner
(Please note the early assignment and discussion due dates the final week)
Required Reading and Multimedia
- Week 8 Lecture
- Hepworth, J. (2000). The two-way mirror in my therapy room: AIDS and families. Journal of Family Psychotherapy, 10(4), 9-20. doi:10.1300/J085v10n04_02
- Chapter 9, The ACT Therapist, and Chapter 10, Next Steps in Gordon, T., Borushok, J., & Polk, K. (2017), The ACT approach: A comprehensive guide for acceptance and commitment therapy, (pp. 143-152).
Recommended, Not Required
- Association for Contextual Behavioral Science: What’s New
Discussion:
- Letters from the Heart
Student Resources
Online Student Support
Your Student Support Specialist is a resource for you. Please don't hesitate to contact them for assistance, including, but not limited to course planning, current problems or issues in a course, technology concerns, or personal emergencies.
Questions? Visit the Student Support Social Work page
UNE Libraries:
- Library Access for all students: Your library login ID and password are the same as the ones you use to log into Brightspace.
- Social Work Databases: https://library.une.edu/library-materials/find/research-by-subject/social-work/
- Library Questions: Ask a librarian or phone library staff at (207) 602-2361 or (207) 221-4330.
Information Technology Services (ITS)
ITS Contact: Toll Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673
Accommodations
Any student who would like to request, or ask any questions regarding, academic adjustments or accommodations must contact the Student Access Center at (207) 221-4438 or pcstudentaccess@une.edu. Student Access Center staff will evaluate the student's documentation and determine eligibility of accommodation(s) through the Student Access Center registration procedure.
Online Peer Support
Togetherall is a 24/7 communication and emotional support platform monitored by trained clinicians. It’s a safe place online to get things off your chest, have conversations, express yourself creatively, and learn how to manage your mental health. If sharing isn’t your thing, Togetherall has other tools and courses to help you look after yourself with plenty of resources to explore. Whether you’re struggling to cope, feeling low, or just need a place to talk, Togetherall can help you explore your feelings in a safe supportive environment. You can join Togetherall using your UNE email address.
Information Technology Services (ITS)
Students should notify their Student Support Specialist and instructor in the event of a problem relating to a course. This notification should occur promptly and proactively to support timely resolution.
ITS Contact: Toll-Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673.
Career Ready Program
The College of Professional Studies supports its online students and alumni in their career journey!
The Career Ready Program provides tools and resources to help students explore and hone in on their career goals, search for jobs, create and improve professional documents, build professional network, learn interview skills, grow as a professional, and more. Come back often, at any time, as you move through your journey from career readiness as a student to career growth, satisfaction, and success as alumni.
Policies
Essential Academic and Technical Standards
Please review the essential academic and technical standards of the University of New England School Social Work (SSW): https://online.une.edu/social-work/academic-and-technical-standards-une-online-ssw/
Turnitin Originality Check and Plagiarism Detection Tool
The College of Professional Studies uses Turnitin to help deter plagiarism and to foster the proper attribution of sources. Turnitin provides comparative reports for submitted assignments that reflect similarities in other written works. This can include, but is not limited to, previously submitted assignments, internet articles, research journals, and academic databases.
Make sure to cite your sources appropriately as well as use your own words in synthesizing information from published literature. Webinars and workshops, included early in your coursework, will help guide best practices in APA citation and academic writing.
You can learn more about Turnitin in the guide on how to navigate your Similarity Report.
Technology Requirements
Please review the technical requirements for UNE Online Graduate Programs: Technical Requirements
Confidentiality Statement
Student and faculty participation in this course will be governed by standards in the NASW Code of Ethics relating to confidentiality in sharing information from their placement sites and practice experiences. Students should be aware that personal information they choose to share in class, class assignments or conversations with faculty does not have the status of privileged information.
Late Policy
Assignments: Late assignments will be accepted up to 3 days late; however, there is a 10% grade reduction (from the total points) for the late submission. After three days the assignment will not be accepted.
Discussion posts: If the initial post is submitted late, but still within the discussion board week, there will be a 10% grade reduction from the total discussion grade (e.g., a 3 point discussion will be reduced by 0.3 points). Any posts submitted after the end of the Discussion Board week will not be graded.
Please make every effort ahead of time to contact your instructor and your student support specialist if you are not able to meet an assignment deadline. Arrangements for extenuating circumstances may be considered by faculty.
Attendance Policy
8 week: Students taking online graduate courses through the College of Professional Studies will be administratively dropped for non-participation if a graded assignment/discussion post is not submitted before Sunday at 11:59 pm ET of the first week of the term. Reinstatement is at the purview of the Dean's Office.
16 week: Students taking online graduate courses through the College of Professional Studies will be administratively dropped for non-participation if a graded assignment/discussion post is not submitted before Friday at 11:59 pm ET of the second week of the term. Reinstatement is at the purview of the Dean's Office.
Student Handbook Online - Policies and Procedures
The policies contained within this document apply to all students in the College of Professional Studies. It is each student's responsibility to know the contents of this handbook.
UNE Course Withdrawal
Please contact your student support specialist if you are considering dropping or withdrawing from a course. The last day to drop for 100% tuition refund is the 2nd day of the course. Financial Aid charges may still apply. Students using Financial Aid should contact the Financial Aid Office prior to withdrawing from a course.
Academic Integrity
The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable. For information about plagiarism and academic misconduct, please visit UNE Plagiarism Policies.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:
- Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
- Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
- Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
- Multiple submissions of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
- Plagiarism, the appropriation of records, research, materials, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one's own.
Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the Program Director. Penalties for students found responsible for violations may depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and/or the student’s previous record of violations. Appeal of a decision may be made to the Dean whose decision will be final. Student appeals will take place through the grievance process outlined in the student handbook.